Lost and Found
by Dorotea Senjak
Summary: Harry and Draco have both suffered losses in life, some tangible, some not...can they find what they need to carry on in life?
1. Default Chapter

Title: Lost and Found 1/? Author: Dorotea  
  
"Where is the Life we have lost in living?  
  
Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?" T.S. Eliot  
  
Chapter 1  
  
The two young men on Privet drive were failing miserably trying to blend in with their surroundings. This was just not the sort of neighbourhood where young men skulked about after midnight. That they were wearing cloaks (one dark green with silver lining, one black with red lining) and holding broomsticks just made them all the more out of place. Luckily for the young men this was also just not the sort of neighbourhood where people stayed up after midnight peering out of their houses.  
  
The fair, slender boy tilted his head, studying the ordinary suburban house before him. He shook his head slightly in disbelief. "You're right, Potter. It is horrid."  
  
The dark-haired boy wearing black wire glasses smirked slightly. "And you doubted me."  
  
The blonde boy had always been shorter than Harry Potter until their last year at Hogwarts. During the last year, Draco Malfoy experienced quite a growth spurt. This had brought him to the same height as Potter, but Malfoy held himself so straight he appeared to be the taller of the two. "Your taste is....questionable, Potter."  
  
Harry rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. "Yes, that is apparent by your presence next to me, Malfoy."  
  
Malfoy bent over, holding his stomach and fake laughing. "Oh, you Gryffindors are just so witty."  
  
Potter smiled at Malfoy. "And brave. Don't forget brave."  
  
Malfoy straightened and looked Harry in the eyes. "Cunning and ambition are more useful."  
  
Potter arched a brow and moved closer to Malfoy. "Depends on your goals, doesn't it?"  
  
"Our goals aren't at cross-purposes any longer, Potter. You save the world and I'll rule it."  
  
Harry shook his head at Malfoy, feeling as he often did with Malfoy -- not quite sure if he was jesting or not. "Then I would just have to save it from you."  
  
"You can be such a bore, Potter. How do you know I wouldn't be a good evil dictator?" Malfoy asked with a smirk.  
  
"A good evil dictator?" Harry started, his voice rising, "You do realize that makes --"  
  
Malfoy interrupted Harry by holding up his hand and stating, "And serious."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You're a bore and you're too serious."  
  
"I'm passionate," Harry said lifting his chin.  
  
Draco made a face of disgust. "Save it for your girlfriend, Potter."  
  
"She's not my girlfriend."  
  
Malfoy's lips curled up. "Who isn't your girlfriend?" He teased. "Hermione?"  
  
"Right," said Potter. "Not. My. Girlfriend. Why does everyone think we're a couple?"  
  
"You live with her?"  
  
"You live with us too. No one thinks we're sleeping together."  
  
"I'm in hiding. No one knows I am living with you, except for a select few Ministry officials and Hermione. And she probably does think we're sleeping together."  
  
Harry frowned. "Why would she think that?"  
  
"For the same reason you think I'm sleeping with your girlfriend."  
  
"What? I do not have a girlfriend! Hang on -- are you talking about Hermione? I don't think you're sleeping with Hermione."  
  
"Well, then we don't have any problems, do we?" Malfoy answered smoothly as he fussed with the ornate silver clasp on his deep black cloak.  
  
"You're not sleeping with Hermione, right?" Harry asked.  
  
"If she's not your girlfriend, it doesn't matter, does it?"  
  
"Well, technically, no, but I, um, er," Harry stuttered. "Well, I know you're not. Hermione would never and you would never and --," Harry stopped as he realized Malfoy was snickering into his black leather gloved hand. "And you just love to wind me up and watch me spin, right?"  
  
Still snickering, Malfoy answered, "You make it so easy, Potter."  
  
"I hate you, Malfoy."  
  
"Heroes aren't allowed to hate."  
  
Potter snorted. "Too late," he whispered under his breath.  
  
Malfoy started to say something, then stopped and took one last look back at the house. "They probably buy their clothes off the rack."  
  
Potter smiled. "So do I."  
  
Malfoy made a slight face and then looked back at the house. He pulled out his wand, "We could redecorate a bit for them."  
  
Harry stared at the house that had held so much misery for him for a long moment and then shook his head. "No, we can't."  
  
"I could."  
  
Harry looked quizzically at Malfoy. "For me?"  
  
Malfoy looked abashed. "No, Potter. I may be working with you...temporarily... but I will never be a member of the Harry Potter fanclub. I'd do it just to tease the Muggles."  
  
Harry frowned. "You decided not become a Death Eater. Remember?"  
  
"I decided I didn't want to torture and kill Muggles, not that I would never have a bit of fun with them. Why shouldn't I tease Muggles who are so deserving of a bit of torment?"  
  
"You work for the Ministry of Magic? As an Auror?"  
  
"There is that, I suppose," Malfoy drawled in a bored tone. "But just turning the perfectly trimmed hedges purple --"  
  
"No."  
  
"Yes, well, then we should get back."  
  
Harry nodded and mounted his broomstick and was in the air within a moment.  
  
Malfoy mounted his broomstick, but before taking to the air he turned back to the Dursley house. "Prunectus Draconis," he said as he flicked his wand toward the very neat hedges. He smiled and nodded at his handiwork and took off into the night air after Harry.  
  
The bellow that Mr. Dursley let out the next morning when he saw the hedges as he was leaving for work would have gotten the neighbours' attention -- if the purple dragon shaped hedges growing at alarming rate hadn't already alerted them that something was not quite right at the Dursley house.  
  
~*~  
  
Narcissa Malfoy was a beautiful woman -- in a cool, sleek fashion. She was standing in front of a large paned window overlooking a garden of stone creatures that would give almost anyone nightmares. Narcissa Malfoy never had nightmares. She did not turn her gaze from the window as her husband, Lucius, entered the Library.  
  
Lucius walked to his wife and kissed her cool cheek. Narcissa did not return the greeting. "News?" She asked coolly.  
  
"No, but I am on my way to meet someone who may have information about Draco's whereabouts."  
  
Narcissa nodded slightly. "Who would dare to cross us? Who would dare to steal our son from us?"  
  
Lucius took a deep breath, knowing the answers to these questions, but most certainly not sharing the knowledge with his wife. His hand absently caressed the serpent head on his cane. "We will find them and invent new spells to torture them with."  
  
Narcissa's lips curled up slightly. "Yes," she said. "But above all else, I want Draco back." She spoke of him not as a mother would of her child, but as a favourite bauble that was missing from a display case, her voice never showing any emotion.  
  
Lucius lifted the cane and caressed his wife's cheek with it softly. "Trust me," he said.  
  
Narcissa turned her gaze toward her husband for the first time since he had entered the room. "Bring him back, Lucius," she said. Then she turned and walked from the room without a further glance or word to her husband.  
  
Lucius watched his wife's figure retreat, tapping his cane on the floor as he turned to gaze out of the window. "I will bring him back.even if I have to bring him back in chains."  
  
~*~  
  
Hermione paced the floor of the flat as she read from a battered book. "Banishment? To another world?" She muttered to herself as she walked and read.  
  
The sound of a clatter on the roof of the flat distracted her from her book. Her lips pursed tightly together she waited for the two young men to enter the living room. The door into the living room from the stairwell opened and Harry and Draco walked in.  
  
"Honey, we're home," Draco said to the glowering Hermione.  
  
Hermione arched a brow at Draco and gave both the men a disapproving look.  
  
"I think your not-girlfriend is angry," Draco whispered to Harry.  
  
Harry frowned at Draco and said to Hermione, "We were, um, flying. Er, I mean, investigating the latest disappearance."  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Next time you want to go play with Draco all night, leave a note. Or remember to use the mobile! I was getting ready to owl the Ministry! Muggles are disappearing, Draco is in *hiding*, Voldemort could be anywhere, Death Eaters are *everywhere* and --"  
  
Draco interrupted Hermione's rant. "Harry and I were not out *playing* together. He is not my type."  
  
Hermione turned angrily toward Draco, brandishing the musty book in his face. "This is not a JOKE, Malfoy. All our lives and the lives of every wizard in Britain are at stake!"  
  
Draco's grey eyes darkened, but before he could respond, Harry put himself between Draco and Hermione.  
  
"You're right, Hermione. I should've left a note. I didn't think we would be gone so long. And I, um, lost my mobile."  
  
"Again?" Hermione asked.  
  
Harry nodded.  
  
Hermione arched a brow and turned toward Draco who had slunk off to the kitchen and was pouring a glass of wine. "Draco?" She asked.  
  
"What?" Draco said casually, not meeting her gaze.  
  
"I find it rather hard to believe that Harry has lost 6 mobiles on his own and yet he can catch a small golden snitch so easily."  
  
Draco took a long sip of wine and replied, "Well, he's out of practice, isn't he? Getting a bit careless in his twenties apparently."  
  
Hermione's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Draco, what have you done with them?"  
  
"Why would Draco take my mobile?" Harry asked as he went into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of Butterbeer.  
  
"He doesn't like Muggle things. Remember what he did to the telly?" Hermione asked.  
  
Refilling his wine glass, Draco countered, "That was a bloody awful contraption. The inanity of the programs was more than any sane person could cope with. And I think it makes a very nice gargoyle," Draco said, nodding toward the large stone gargoyle on a rickety TV stand.  
  
"What did you turn Harry's mobiles into?" Hermione asked, taking the bottle of wine from Draco and pouring herself a glass.  
  
"If I had turned them into something, and I'm not saying that I did, it would've been something loud and annoying and I would've thrown them out of the flat. Because I must say Muggles invent the most annoying gadgets. Moreover, they're rude. Those contraptions are truly for people without class. Ringing and interrupting conversations. Ringing, ringing and ringing. What civilized person stands in a room with other people and speaks into a piece of plastic? Eh?"  
  
Hermione sighed heavily and finished off her glass of wine. "I'm off to bed. I have some ideas to discuss with the two of you in the morning," she glanced at the clock. "I mean after we've slept a bit. If you're hungry, there is a bit of dinner left in the fridge."  
  
Draco opened the fridge and eyed a very lumpy casserole of...well; he was not quite certain what might be in it. Hermione may be brilliant, but she could barely boil water for tea.  
  
"Night, Hermione," Harry said as Hermione gathered up a few books and started toward her bedroom.  
  
"Bloody hell, I wish we had at least one house Elf," Draco said, rummaging around for something edible.  
  
Harry urgently shook his head at Draco.  
  
"What did you say?" Hermione asked testily.  
  
Draco closed the fridge door, catching Harry's warning look. "I think if you want to know where Harry's mobiles are you should look at that lumpy casserole in the fridge."  
  
"Hrumph." Hermione snorted as she turned and walked into her bedroom.  
  
"That was a close one, Draco."  
  
Draco pulled a package of crackers from the pantry. "I can't believe it's come to this."  
  
Harry smiled consolingly at Draco. "Welcome to the real world, Malfoy."  
  
"Malfoy Manor was the real world," Draco said quietly.  
  
"Do you want to go back?" Harry asked cautiously.  
  
Draco looked Harry in the eye. "Yes," he said matter-of-factly, "And I will. Someday it will be mine. Just because I don't want to be a Death Eater, doesn't mean I'm going to give up what is rightfully mine."  
  
Harry nodded. "I understand."  
  
"Do you?" Draco asked in a doubtful, sneering tone.  
  
"Yes," Harry said, turning his back on Draco and walking slowly out of the kitchen. "But what was rightfully mine is forever gone."  
  
Draco put down a half-eaten cracker and took another sip of wine. "Damn," he muttered. This was going to be so much harder than he had anticipated.  
  
End Chapter 1 


	2. Chapter 2

Ginny Weasley walked through the sparsely populated main street of Diagon Alley at a quick pace. She had a feeling that she was being followed, but she put it off to the residual uneasy feeling from the nightmares that had her out walking at this time of night in the first place. Her sleep had been haunted by nightmares for years, but this last week they had grown frighteningly realistic. Just as she was about to enter a small shop with a crooked sign declaring it to be "Weaselys' Wizard Wheezes", something touched her shoulder. 

Ginny spun around, catching the glint of a silver cane, she reached for her wand that was hidden in an inner pocket of her cloak. The man with the cane was quicker though and before she touched her wand a whispered, "Expelliarmus", had it in the hand of Lucius Malfoy. 

Ginny let out a shocked gasp and demanded, "Mr. Malfoy, return my wand at once." 

Lucius smirked at the petite redhead, "Or else?" 

Ginny stamped her foot slightly. "What are you playing at? I believe you must have taken a wrong turn. This is not Knockturn Alley." 

"What game are you playing at, Miss Weasley? Going into your brothers' shop after hours?" 

"I work here," Ginny snapped. "I left something I needed. I'm sure Fred and George will appreciate your concern. Wand." She said holding out her hand. 

Lucius noted the slight quivering of Ginny's hand with satisfaction as he placed her wand in to her outstretched hand. "I do believe this need not come to a duel, Miss Weasley." 

Ginny didn't pocket her wand but kept it pointing at Lucius. "Indeed. Well, forgive me for my mistrust, Mr. Malfoy, but I do, after all, know you." 

"I just wish to have a short conversation with you." 

Ginny smiled sweetly at Lucius. "Yes, well, you have now, haven't you? Thank you and good night," Ginny said crisply with much more conviction than she felt as she moved toward the door to the shop. 

Lucius blocked Ginny with his cane. "I'm not quite finished with you yet, Miss Weasley." 

Ginny glanced down at the cane, swallowing nervously. Her eyes darted around her surroundings to see if there was a possible escape route or a helpful looking bystander. Her furtive glances revealed two large men standing on either side of her. Mr. Crabbe and Mr. Goyle. Ginny closed her eyes for a long moment, gathering her courage, and then turned her face toward Lucius, "What is it you wish to discuss?" 

Lucius lifted his cane, unblocking the shop door. "I think we will be more comfortable inside the shop, Miss Weasley." 

Ginny challenged him with her eyes for a second, then waved her wand over the doorknob, whispering the unlock spell George had just changed that morning. If Lucius Malfoy had wanted her dead or to kidnap her, he could've done so already, Ginny decided as she heard the tumblers clicking into place. 

Lucius opened the door and entered the shop with Ginny following closely behind. Lucius gave the door a push closed with his cane. Ginny noticed through the window of the shop that Crabbe and Goyle had moved in front of the door. She wondered if another wizard guarded the backdoor. 

Lucius picked up a piece of parchment from the counter in the shop. "Swirling in the blackness of my own soul --" he read from it. 

Ginny angrily snatched the parchment out of his grip and rolled it tightly. "What do you want, Mr. Malfoy?" 

"Blackness of my own soul? My, my, aren't you a dark little girl?" 

Ginny glared at him. "I am not a little girl and my poetry is none of your business!" 

"It's quite a badly written poem, Miss Weasley. Perhaps you should seek another outlet for your darkness." 

Ginny's face reddened. "Is this why you're here? To critique my writing?" 

Lucius smiled condescendingly at the young witch. "No, it isn't why I'm here, but I can't say I haven't thought of you over the years, Ginny," Lucius purred, moving closer to Ginny. 

"Miss Weasley will do fine, Mr. Malfoy," Ginny said, backing away from Lucius until she was against the wall. "Now, tell me what you want and then leave."` 

"Tell me, Miss Ginny Weasley, do you still hear his voice in your head? See his face in your dreams?" Lucius asked as he smoothly closed the space between them. 

Ginny's hand surreptitiously moved toward her wand. "Whose face?" Ginny asked through gritted teeth, already knowing exactly who Lucius referred to. 

"Tom Riddle's," Lucius leaned down to whisper in her ear. 

Ginny inhaled angrily and pulled out her wand, not casting a spell but pushing the point of it into Lucius' chest. "OUT! NOW!" She yelled. 

Lucius smirked at the red-faced Ginny. He ignored her wand and gently brushed a strand of her hair back. "You miss him, don't you? I could reunite you with him. Voldemort, I must admit, is not as pleasant to look upon as Tom Riddle, but they are one in the same." 

Ginny flicked her wrist, a hex forming on her lips, but before she could complete the words, Lucius easily pinned her arms against the wall and pressed his lips against hers in a crushing kiss. Ginny gave a stifled cry of rage and sunk her teeth into his flesh as hard as she could. He released her and backed away, taking her wand with him. 

Lucius chuckled at the red-with-rage witch as he twirled her wand in his hand. "Tell me what you know of Draco and I'll leave you alone to your dark scribbling," Lucius said coolly, ignoring the blood trickling out of his mouth. 

Ginny, still breathing heavily, took a deep breath and recovered to spit out, "He's a spineless git. As are you. Leave now, before I call the Ministry." 

"You don't know, do you?" Lucius asked. 

"Know what?" 

Lucius shrugged. "No matter, Miss Weasley. It was a pleasure to catch up with you," he drawled, tossing her wand to her before bowing slightly in her direction and continuing, "Until we meet again." 

Ginny held her wand at his retreating back but didn't make another move until he had swept out of the shop and the door had closed behind him. Ginny realized she was shaking uncontrollably, her wand clanging to the floor as her hand lost its grip on the slender piece of wood. She sunk to the floor next to it and hugged her knees to her chest, the taste of Lucius' blood filled her mouth and her senses with rage. She spit on the floor, trying to rid her body of him. She spit until her mouth was dry and then stood and looked at the mixture of blood and saliva on the floor. She grabbed a bottle of Mrs. Skower's All-Purpose Magical Mess Remover and sprayed it on the floor. Instantly the floor was spotless. 

Ginny slipped behind the counter and pulled out a polished wood box and spoke the words to open it. She removed what she had been returning to the shop for, a crystal ball. "Something is going on and I'm going to find out what it is," Ginny said quietly, "And thanks to Mr. Malfoy, I think I know where to start looking. What are you up to, Draco Malfoy?" 

~*~ 

Draco had been pacing the small balcony for almost an hour. "If one is going to go into hidden exile," he said to himself, "One should pick someplace that does not have substandard living conditions." 

"Substandard?" Hermione asked as she walked through the open door. "Our flat is not substandard." 

"Depends on your standards." 

Hermione frowned. "I'm sure that Harry is tossing and turning in bed right now, thinking of how you're suffering since Voldemort destroyed his family home in Godric's Cove, where I'm sure you would have been more comfortable." 

"The Potter home was probably decorated in early chintz and begging to be destroyed, but I'll take Harry's bed and he can have that lumpy, pest-infested futone, flustone, whatever you call it." 

"There's always the floor," Hermione suggested. "Besides, my parents bought that futon as flat-warming gift." 

"I wouldn't share that sin with the world, if I were you." 

"You shouldn't be out here in the open, Malfoy," Hermione said, refusing to comment on his jab at her parents. 

Draco rolled his eyes. "Contrary to popular belief, evil does sleep. I think I'm safe out here at 4 in the morning." 

"If evil sleeps why are you pacing a balcony instead of snuggled under the blanket Mrs. Weasley knitted and snoring away on the futon?" 

Draco had to admit to himself Hermoine could be quite cutting. He was impressed. "Firstly, I'm an auror, fighting evil same as you, Granger. Secondly, Malfoys do not snore. Thirdly, Mrs. Weasley knitted that blanket? And it touched my body?" 

"The Weasleys are a good family, Malfoy. You will not insult them in front of me." 

Draco snorted. "The Weasleys are a --," Draco stopped mid-sentence and reconsidered. "Which Mrs. Weasley knitted it? The frumpy one or Ron's serving wench? You lucked out there, Granger. Since Ron married that tart right out of Hogwarts, you're safe. Although I guess there are still lots of available Weasleys. Ooh, I know," Draco continued enthusiastically, either not noticing the dark look that Hermione was giving him, or choosing to ignore it. "Harry could marry Ginny, you could marry one of the other Weasley's and then you would all be one big happy Weasley family." 

For a long moment Draco just stood smirking at Hermione while she glared daggers at him. "You can't decide if you want to slap me or kiss me, can you?" Draco finally asked. 

"Actually I was wondering if Harry would help me dispose of your body." 

Draco shrugged. "Those hero types are dreadfully unhelpful at that sort of thing, I wouldn't count on it if I were you." 

"In that case, I'm going back to bed. I suggest you do the same as it is almost time for work." 

Hermione spun around and started toward the door to the flat, but Draco caught her arm. "I didn't mean anything by it, Granger. I was just teasing. There's no need to be huffy." 

Hermione huffed and pulled her arm out of his grasp. "I'm not huffy. I'm tired. I'm going to bed," she snapped turning toward the door. 

"Don't go," Draco whispered. 

Hermione spun around to face him. Draco moved in, tilting his head to kiss her, but instead of her lips all he found was the palm of her hand. 

"Don't. You just don't want to be alone," Hermione said stonily as Draco's lips brushed her hand. 

Draco straightened and gave Hermione a quizzical look. "That's not it," he protested. 

Hermione gave him a small smile. "Whatever. It's not going to happen." 

"Is it Harry?" Draco asked. 

"No, it's you." 

Draco laughed dryly. "Yes, well, then, you're right again. Good night, Granger," Draco said as he turned back toward the London skyline, dismissing Hermione without a second thought. 

Hermione shook her head and re-entered the flat leaving Draco to brood alone. "Honestly! Is it Harry?" she mimicked Draco's drawl under her breath as she ran straight into Harry. 

"Yes, it is Harry," Harry said with a crooked grin. 

Hermione chuckled, "Sorry, Harry. I hope we didn't wake you." 

"Is everything okay?" Harry asked. 

Hermione shook her head. "Oh, it's just Draco...being Draco. He's pacing the balcony." 

Harry looked toward the balcony and shrugged. "Don't let him get to you, Hermione. He loves to stir up things." 

Hermione nodded and then pulled the sleeve of Harry's pyjamas. "Let's go to your room for a minute," she whispered. 

They walked into Harry's small, cluttered bedroom and Hermione quietly closed the door and sunk onto Harry's bed with a sigh as she tried to organize her thoughts. She glanced around the softly lit room, smiling inwardly at the Gryffindor banner displayed prominently on the wall, the Quidditch gear piled in the corner and the gravity defying lopsided stacks of books scattered throughout the room. 

Harry sat down next to her. "What is it, Hermione?" he asked softly. "Is it Draco?" 

Hermione nodded and turned to look Harry in the eyes. "I just don't trust him, Harry. His coming over to our side seems so conveniently timed. We've been unable to move against Voldemort directly since he stays in hiding, doing nothing but occasionally sending an agent to attack us. But just as we had rooted out a group of Voldemort's supporters, just as we are getting closer to direct evidence linking his father to Voldemort, Draco suddenly shows up at the Ministry?" Hermione stopped and shook her head. 

"It does seem a bit odd," Harry admitted. 

"Exactly. And the Ministry gives Draco a job as an Auror and tells us baby-sit him? And does Draco even offer the evidence we need to indict his father? No. He offers a tale of fleeing from a group of hooded Death Eaters and claims to not even know if his father was one of the hooded Death Eaters. What if it is all an elaborate ploy to trap you, Harry?" 

Harry sighed deeply and squeezed Hermoine's shoulder. "I know. I've had the same suspicions, Hermione. But, if Draco were just after me, he's had plenty of chances to kill me outright and we don't have any proof that Draco isn't telling the truth. I'm quite sure that he knows many things he hasn't told us. His reasons for not giving us that evidence may be as simple as him not quite be able to take that step toward severing those ties to his father yet." 

Hermione snorted. "If Draco is truly on our side, why wouldn't he want his father in Azkaban?" 

"It's probably irrelevant, Hermione. Lucius Malfoy still has a high-standing in the wizarding community, donations to all the right causes...I doubt the Ministry would let us go after him just on Draco's word anyway. Draco knows that as well." 

"True enough," Hermione said. "The Ministry is another matter that concerns me. Who can we trust at the Ministry?" 

Harry looked at Hermione, sadness filling his eyes, "Realistically, Hermione, I think we can trust only each other." 

Hermione nodded at Harry and rose from the bed, her face showing grim determination. "Right," she said, then her eyes darted away from Harry and she suddenly seemed not to know what to do with her hands and she wrung them nervously. "Without you, Harry..." she said, her voice trailing off as she looked down at Harry. 

Harry took Hermione's hands into his and squeezed them. "I know, Hermione. I feel the same," he brought her hands to his face and kissed them softly. 

Hermione leaned toward him and kissed his forehead. It would be so easy to take the relationship to the next level, but fear of losing what they already had made her stop. She stepped backwards, pulling her hands from Harry's grasp. She studied him for a long moment, thinking he looked so much older than his 21 years. There were dark shadows under his eyes and the famous lightening bolt had been joined by other battle scars, making his face appear to be a puzzle someone had not put together properly. Hermione yearned to kiss Harry's jagged scars, caress his flesh, whisper her desires in his ear, hold him, comfort him, become one with him. She knew if she did not leave now, she would not be able to prevent herself from taking him into her arms. Without another word, she turned and left the room. She could not bear to lose Harry as she had lost Ron. 

~*~ 

Lucius entered his wife's bedroom silently. It had been quite some time since he had seen the room. It was just as his wife was, sleek and cold. Narcissa was lying in the bed, but Lucius knew that she was not asleep. He stopped at the edge of the bed. "I spoke with Ginny Weasley. She didn't know about Draco." 

Narcissa did not turn toward her husband as she said, "Flirting with a Weasley brat is not going to bring us any closer to finding our son." 

Lucius tightened his grip on his cane. "The girl will run to Potter. Potter will lead us to Draco." 

Narcissa sat up and faced her husband. "You think Potter is involved with Draco's disappearance?" 

"Potter is a meddlesome fool. I know he's involved in some manner." 

"We need someone close to Potter." 

"The Weasley girl is vulnerable. Fragile," Lucius sniffed. "She can be turned." 

Narcissa arched her brow. "You do have your moments, Lucius," she said. "Do what must be done." 

Lucius nodded to his wife and left the room as silently as he entered. 

~*~ 

Draco turned to enter the flat and saw Hermione quickly exit Harry's bedroom, her arms hugging herself and flee into her bedroom, the door closely soundly behind her. Draco shook his head, "If those two were anymore repressed they'd surely break when they sat down." 

As Draco's hand touched the doorknob, a figure apparated onto the balcony. Draco turned quickly toward the figure, drawing his wand from his silk robe. 

"Expelliarmus!" The figure shouted and Draco's wand flew out of his hand. 

Draco didn't panic, but stood still as the figure took a step toward him, pushing back the hood of her cloak. 

At first, Draco didn't recognize the wisp of a girl, but then the clouds in the sky shifted, allowing moonlight to shine down on the balcony, highlighting the figure's gleaming red hair. Draco relaxed, "Ginny Weasley," he said. 

Ginny nodded, pocketing Draco's wand even as she kept hers pointed at him. "I have Seen, Draco Malfoy. And I will not allow it." 


	3. Chapter 3

_"As for the virtuous poor, one can pity them, of course, but one cannot possibly admire them." Oscar Wilde_

_~*~_

Draco stared at Ginny Weasley blankly for a moment. "Seen?" he asked.

Ginny took a step toward Draco. "Yes. In a crystal ball and a scrying bowl," she said as she pressed the point of her wand into Draco's chest. "I saw you kill Harry."

A look of surprise passed over Draco's face. "What?"

Ginny jabbed Draco with her wand. "You deny it?"

"Watch where you point that thing. "Yes," Draco declared, glancing irritably down at the wand digging into his ribcage. "I'm working with Harry. At the Ministry."

It was Ginny's turn to look surprised. "What?"

"We should talk," Draco said, as he cautiously pushed Ginny's wand up, away from his chest. "Let's go inside."

Ginny's eyes narrowed and she was gripping her wand so tightly that her knuckles turned white, but she stepped back from Draco. "You live here?" She asked sceptically.

Draco sighed. "Unfortunately. But it's only temporary. It's a long story, actually. Just give me my wand back and let's go inside."

"I'll keep your wand for now," Ginny said archly. "Are Harry and Hermione here?"

Draco opened the door and motioned Ginny to enter. "Yes, they're in bed. I'd imagine tossing and turning, frustrated beyond belief."

"What?" Ginny asked as she walked into the flat.

"Never mind," Draco answered as he sunk into the red futon that was the focal point of a living room lined with bookshelves. "Do you know how to make coffee?"

Ginny sat down in a gold fabric chair opposite of Draco, her wand still out. "What?"

"Coffee? The elixir of the gods. Do you know how to make it? I could use a cup. Haven't had a decent cup in over a month. Normally Harry makes it in the morning, but I don't believe you can actually call that coffee. It's just sludge. Thick and bitter."

"Oh, like you?" Ginny asked.

Draco glared at the young redhead, noting the dark smudges under her eyes and the underlying wariness present on her pale face. "You look as if you could use a cup as well."

"I just want to know what the bloody hell is going on. Why are you living with Harry and Hermione? Why did your father pay me a visit tonight? Why did I see you standing over Harry's corpse?"

"My father visited you?" Draco asked, his entire body had tensed upon hearing those words and he leaned forward. "What did he say? Did he follow you? How did you get past the wards protecting the flat?"

"My questions get answered first. Why are you living here?"

Draco frowned, but said, "About a month ago, I was snatched by cloaked Death Eaters. They took me to what I assume was to be my indoctrination ceremony, but I escaped. I went to the Ministry and asked for protection. I'm now working as an Auror with Harry and Hermione."

"Who made you an Auror?"

"The Ministry of Magic, Fudge."

Ginny snorted. "That man must be more of a fool than it is even rumoured."

Draco arched a brow at Ginny. "Yes, well, I'm actually quite good at detecting dark magic."

"I'm sure you are," Ginny said sharply. She paused for a moment and pushed a loose strand of hair out of her face. "So, you're just going to stay in hiding forever or just until you have time to kill the boy who lived?"

Draco exhaled in frustration and stood up, then walked to the adjoining kitchen. "I need either wine or coffee for this conversation," he said, as he uncorked a bottle of wine and poured a glass. "I'd offer you a glass, but you're annoying me."

Ginny rose and joined Draco in the kitchen. She pulled a wine glass from the open cabinet and filled it." She took a long sip, and then said, "Your father wanted to know if I knew anything about you," she said, trying to sort everything out in her mind as she spoke. "And, no, there is no way he followed me, I apparated. I'm guessing that either he doesn't know about your change in sides, or more likely he thinks that it's all part of yours and his plot to kill Harry."

Draco rolled his eyes. "I do not want to kill Harry. I will admit I don't like him very much. He's an annoying do-gooder, but I'm not here to curse him in his sleep."

Ginny eyed Draco sceptically. "I know what I saw, Draco."

"And what, exactly, did you see? Divination is a notoriously unreliable branch of magic."

"I've seen things that have come to pass before. I saw Ron's marriage. I saw Percy's last promotion."

"Oh, you'll have to do better than that. Anyone could have seen those things happening."

"And I saw you standing over Harry's body with your wand pointed at him."

Draco pursed his lips for a moment, twirling his wine glass in his hand absently. "Maybe I was trying to save him," he said finally.

Ginny scoffed. "You? A Malfoy? Trying to save Harry Potter?"

"Ah, you've decided I'm the villain of this story, eh?" Draco asked smoothly.

"That was decided when you were born a Malfoy," Ginny said smugly.

Ginny and Draco stared at each other, neither speaking, both absently twirling their wineglasses in their hands until Draco broke the silence, "You're a silly little girl," he said, his voice filled with condescension.

Ginny felt her cheeks flush as her anger pulsed through her veins. "What?"

Draco sipped his wine and then shook his head. "You think real life is like a fairytale. There is good, there is evil, and the two shall never meet in the middle. There is no grey. There is your side and then there is the wrong side. There is Lord Voldemort and there is Harry Potter and there is nothing in between them."

Ginny's face burned with outrage. This could not be happening. Draco Malfoy was not lecturing her. She wanted to slap him, she wanted to hex him, and she wanted to see him lying on the ground begging for mercy. She opened and closed her mouth several times, trying to form coherent speech, but her rage was so great, nothing but sputtering was coming out.

Draco smirked at her. "Speechless. Yes, I often have that effect on the ladies."

Ginny's mouth opened in outrage and she raised her wand toward Draco, "Serp --"

Before Ginny could finish her hex, Draco had tackled her to the floor, covering her mouth with his hand to prevent her from finishing her incantation.

Ginny struggled beneath Draco, who removed his hand from her mouth, but didn't release her. "Keep squirming like that and I might forget you're a Weasley," Draco drawled, grinning down at the irate redhead as Harry and Hermione ran into the room from their respective bedrooms, wands at the ready.

"What is going on?" Hermione demanded.

Neither Ginny nor Draco looked toward the newcomers as Ginny angrily brought her knee up, kicking Draco's groin while simultaneously spitting at him.

Draco rolled off Ginny, moaning in pain. Ginny stood up, still livid with rage. She pointed her wand at Draco and exclaimed, "Petrificus Totalus!"

Draco instantly went rigid and immobile.

"Um, Ginny?" Harry said. "I don't think you know what's going on..."

Ginny turned toward Harry and Hermione, "Oh, I do know what is going on. I had a visit from the Elder and just as Repulsive Malfoy earlier tonight. Then I scryed and saw Draco standing over you, Harry, with his wand pointed at you. So, I apparated onto your balcony and guess who was there? Draco Malfoy."

"Yes, but he's staying here, Ginny. It's o --"

"He's told me the story. It's rather unbelievable that the Ministry made him and Auror, but this is Fudge we're referring to."

Hermione nodded at Ginny in agreement.

Harry looked toward Draco. "Did he attack you?"

"Yes," Ginny said as Malfoy's eyes flashed in anger, despite the full body bind. Ginny glanced down at her feet a bit sheepishly. "Well, we had an argument and I tried to curse him and he wrestled to me to the ground."

Harry looked shocked; Hermione tried to suppress a grin, but was unable too. Harry gave her a look, but Hermione pointedly ignored it.

"Okay," Harry said with a small sigh. "I think you can take the body-bind off Draco now."

"Why?" Ginny and Hermione asked together.

"I don't think any of us are in immediate danger from Malfoy," Harry said.

Ginny waved her wand toward Draco and he was on his feet in a second. "I am redoing the wards on this flat," Draco fumed. "Obviously, you forgot to ward against raging redheads, Potter."

"Ginny has never been a danger towards us, Draco," Hermione stated matter-of-factly.

Harry rubbed his forehead. "I need coffee," he said as he headed to the kitchen toward the percolator.

Draco made a face. "Perhaps one of you could pop out for coffee," he suggested. Turning toward Ginny, he asked, "Do you know any cooking charms? Perhaps you could make a spot of breakfast."

Ginny gave Draco an incredulous look. "The only way I would cook for you, Malfoy, is if it were to poison you.

"I think Hermione's already tried that."

Before Hermione could respond to Draco, Harry quickly said, "Ginny, what did Lucius Malfoy say to you?"

Ginny sighed. "He just wanted to know if I knew anything about Draco. I didn't have any idea what he was getting at so I told him that Draco was a useless git and Lucius couldn't argue with that so he left."

Draco rolled his eyes at Ginny and said to Harry, "I don't think he has any idea that I'm with you, Harry. He's trolling about."

Harry nodded in agreement. "Right, but he's getting closer. We'll have to discuss it with Bones today."

Hermione pulled four coffee cups from the cabinet, "I think Ginny should come too. Mr. Bones will want to hear what happened with Mr. Malfoy directly from her."

"I agree. Ginny, can you drop by the Ministry later this morning?" Harry asked as he filled the coffee cups.

"Yes," Ginny answered as she took a drink of the coffee and almost choked. Malfoy was right; this coffee did taste like sludge. "I'll just pop home now, shower and change. I'll come by mid-morning."

Ginny tossed Draco his wand and disapparated away, leaving Hermione, Harry and Draco standing quietly in the kitchen.

Draco sipped the sludge and said casually, "Divination is the most unreliable branch of magic."

Harry and Hermione, exchanged a quick meaningful look, but nodded in agreement. "Yes, we know," Hermione said. "I'll make some toast."

Draco sighed heavily, thinking of how Ginny Weasley was at this very moment enjoying a hot, delicious breakfast served with steaming, rich coffee at the Burrow. There was no justice in the world, he thought. Then he scoffed at himself and corrected his thought -- there was actually too much justice in the world.

~*~

The Head of the Auror Division, Orick Bones, sat at the head of a small table in a functional, windowless office in the inner coils of the Ministry of Magic. Ginny Weasley had just finished relating her visit from Lucius Malfoy. Harry, Hermione and Draco also sat around the well-worn table. Hermione was thoughtfully chewing the end of her quill, Harry hunched forward in deep thought and Draco was sprawled back in his chair, an expression of boredom on his face.

Ginny twirled her hair around her fingers and continued, "After Mr. Malfoy left the premises, I used a crystal ball --"

"Considering how unreliable Divination is," Hermione interrupted, "I don't know if Ginny's vision needs to be brought into the meeting."

Harry sat up, but didn't say anything. Draco tapped his fingers on the table, not making eye contact with anyone at the table.

Ginny frowned at Hermione, but remained silent.

Orick Bones glanced at Hermione. "Yes, you're right, Miss Granger, but this isn't a formal meeting, and therefore I think it will be acceptable for Miss Weasley to share her vision with us."

Hermione's mouth tightened, but she didn't argue with her boss.

"I saw Harry on the ground with Malfoy standing above him, his wand pointed toward Harry. Originally I thought this meant that Malfoy had killed Harry, but after careful consideration, I think I may have been wrong."

For the first time since the meeting had started, Draco looked at Ginny. "Is that so?" he asked. "Do explain how you came to your senses."

Ginny smiled smartly at Draco. "Happily," she answered. "I thought your switch in sides was a cover. That you were spying or plotting against Harry. Then I realized that would take a certain amount of courage. After all, Harry has defeated the Dark Lord. He has defeated countless dark wizards," She continued, staring directly at Draco, and challenging him with flashing eyes, "You're not spying or plotting against Harry. You're a bloody coward. A spineless git. You haven't the courage to go after Harry."   
  
Ginny paused to collect herself. She was gripping the table tightly and her face had grown red. She continued, her voice rising, "You're afraid of the Death Eaters. You're afraid of your father. You're now living with those you despise because they're the only ones that can keep you safe. My vision wasn't you killing Harry. It was you not saving him."

Draco stared emotionlessly at Ginny for a long moment as everyone else in the room stared at Draco. Harry's hand found his wand, he didn't pull it out, but he wanted to be ready if Draco made a move toward Ginny. Hermione gripped her quill tightly in her hand, holding her breath.

However, Draco only smiled. A cold smile. A smile Draco had learned from his mother. A smile he had seen directed at his father many times. A smile that never failed to send a chill through the spine of anyone who witnessed it. "Yes, you have it all figured out, don't you? I always thought you were as dim as your brothers are. Three cheers for Ginny Weasley. The Weasley with a brain," Draco shook his head and chuckled mockingly.

Ginny found herself unable to hold eye contact with Draco and she looked down at her hands, suddenly finding a silver etched ring she wore very interesting. She knew her face was bright red and her pulse was pounding and she hated the fact that she couldn't control her emotions.

Orick Bones decided it was best to get Ginny out of the room as quickly as possible. "Thank you very much for your information, Miss Weasley," he said as he stood. He opened the door to the office. "If we have anymore questions, we'll contact you."

Ginny stood up and walked to the door quickly. "Thank you, Mr. Bones," she said to the Head. She gave a quick wave to Harry and Hermoine, carefully avoiding looking at Draco and scooted out of the room.

Orick Bones closed the door behind Ginny and sunk back into his chair. There was an awkward silence at the table. Hermione shuffled parchments around while Harry studied Draco's face closely.

Draco finally broke the silence. "Well, that was delightful, wasn't it?" he asked sarcastically. "After lunch, perhaps Hermione can insult the size of my manhood."

Harry massaged his temples resignedly. "I think it would be a good idea to get back to the case we're working on."

"Yes," Orick Bones agreed quickly. "Anything new on the disappearing Muggles?"

"I haven't been able to find any connection between the Muggles that have gone missing yet, sir," Hermione said. "I'm going to do more research this afternoon on the internet, that's a Muggle information system and see if I can come up with anything they might have in common -- a school, a club or organisation, common friends, something like that. I've also been reading up on various spells and found a possible banishing spell that might have been used."

"Draco and I are going to return the homes of the missing Muggles and see if we can find any traces of spells or other magic that might back up Hermione's banishing spell theory," Harry said, glancing at Draco while he spoke.

Orick Bones nodded at his Aurors. "Very good."

"Sir," Draco said. "I believe that we should put a memory charm on Ginny Weasley."

Hermione arched her brow. "Draco!"

Harry eyed Draco warily. "I don't think that's necessary, Draco."

"She's been contacted by my father once. He may pay her another visit. She's a security risk. My father can be quite persuasive."

Orick Bones sighed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "The Ministry does not condone the use of memory charms unless they're absolutely necessary, Draco. She is a Weasley..."

Draco scowled at his Mr. Bones. "Yes, we all know how highly regarded the Weasleys are, but the fact remains that she's an unstable young girl."

"Ginny is not unstable," protested Hermione.

"She had me in full body bind this morning!" Draco retorted angrily.

"I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've wanted to do the same thing!" Hermione snapped, glaring angrily at Draco.

Harry and Orick Bones exchanged a look. "I will take the matter under consideration, Draco," Orick Bones said finally. "That's all for now."

Orick Bones swept out of the room, the door slamming behind him. Hermione was still glaring at Draco; Draco was ignoring Hermione's glare and Harry was wondering if he had a headache draught in his satchel.

"Honestly, Draco," Hermione started, "Ginny wouldn't betray you."

Draco rolled his eyes dramatically at Hermione. "Ginny would happily dance on my grave."

Harry stood up and spoke quickly before Hermione could add her desire to dance on Draco's grave. "Mr. Bones will make the decision. I'm meeting Ro -- someone for lunch. We can start our investigations when I return, Draco."

"Honestly, Harry, you can say his name." Hermione said peevishly as she stuffed parchments in her satchel. "I'm not a silly school girl."

Harry sighed, "I know Hermione." Harry studied Hermione's face for a long moment and continued, "Perhaps you want join us?" He added hopefully.

Hermione saw the hope in Harry's eyes and quickly looked away. She knew what Harry wanted -- he wanted everything to be the same between the three of them. The way it had been the first few years at Hogwarts. 'It'll never be the same', Hermione thought, 'Well, possibly if I had the Time Turner.' Hermione busied her fingers buckling her satchel. "I can't. I'm going to go the Library," her voice was professional and detached. "There has to be a connection between these people. I'll see you tonight."

Without looking at either Harry or Draco, Hermione rushed from the office. Harry sighed and looked down at his feet for a moment. "I'll be back in hour," Harry said to Draco as he too exited the office.

Draco looked around the empty office. "Yes, I'll be fine, don't worry about me. I'll just gnaw on my quill for lunch."

Draco sighed and leaned back in his chair, throwing his feet onto the table as he closed his eyes. His thoughts centred on Ginny Weasley. Was she really a Seer? Alternatively, just a perceptive girl? As he drifted off to sleep, Draco decided it didn't matter; she was dangerous either way. Something would have to be done.

End Chapter 3


	4. Chapter 4

_                     "His fine wit _

_Makes such a wound, the knife is lost in it."_

Percy Shelley

Harry walked into The Three Broomsticks and spotted Ron at a small booth at the back.  For a moment, Harry wished he had told Ron to meet him at The Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley instead.  Seeing Ron here made Harry nostalgic for their Hogwarts days when they had frequented this establishment with Hermione.

When Ron spotted Harry, he rose and waved, a wide smile breaking out across his face.  Harry made his way to the table and the two men embraced before Harry slid into the booth opposite of the Keeper for the Chudley Cannons.

"How you've been, Harry?" Ron asked enthusiastically.  "I ordered you a butterbeer.  Hope it's still your favourite," Ron said, taking a sip of his ale.

"It is," Harry answered.  "Sorry, I'm a bit late.  We had a meeting at work .  It didn't go well."

Ron arched a brow.  "Can you tell me about it?  Or would you have to memory charm me then?"

Harry chuckled lightly, even as his mind wandered to Ginny and if she should be memory charmed or not. "It's boring," Harry said, deciding to switch to the much safer topic of Quidditch.  "You're having a great season!  That save you had in the last game was amazing. I don't know how you stayed on your broom."

Ron laughed in a self-depreciating manner.  "It was a tough match.  The Wigtown Wanderers are a solid team.  You're coming to our game against the Pride of Portree, aren't you?  Wood would love to see you there too. Of course, he's going to be on the losing team," Ron joked.

Harry grinned.  "I'd love to come, but work..."

"Work?" Ron scoffed.  "You can't save the world everyday, Harry, come to the game."

Harry nodded.  "I'll do my best.  How's Lucy?"

Ron beamed at the mention of his wife.  "She's doing well.  Busy decorating the new house.  And..." Ron leaned in and said in a conspiratorial whisper, "We're having a baby."

Harry's mouth fell open.  "A baby?" He repeated loudly.

"Shhh!" Ron said, even as he laughed.  "You're the first one we've told.  We're going to tell Mum and Dad this weekend before the game."

"Wow," was Harry's brilliant response.  He couldn't believe it.  It had been surprising when Ron had suddenly eloped with Lucy after having just broken up with Hermione, but this surprised Harry even more for some reason.  It was so, so, adult.  "Congratulations, Ron."

Ron leaned back again. "Thanks.  We weren't even trying, but when you're a Weasley, you really don't have to try," Ron laughed. 

The server came and took their identical orders of fish and chips and they sat in silence for a few minutes, both nursing their drinks.  "How --", Ron started, but then he hesitated. He took a large gulp of ale and continued, his unease apparent to Harry, "How's Hermione?" 

Harry fiddled with his napkin, his lips pursed stubbornly, "She's fine.  Working a lot."

"That's Hermione.  Always working," Ron said, a trace of bitterness in his voice.

Harry picked up Ron's tone and said, "Why don't the two of you talk?"

Ron arched a brow at Harry.  "I doubt she has time to talk to me, Harry.  She had trouble finding time when we were a couple.  If the fact that I was her boyfriend wasn't enough to get her attention, why in the world do you think she'd want to take the time to talk to me now?"  Ron answered huffily.

Harry slammed his glass down on the table.  "That isn't fair, Ron."

Ron, noticing the onslaught of curious eyes directed at their table, lowered his voice to a harsh whisper.  "Isn't it?  Do you know I looked over in the stands during the match with Puddlemere United and she was reading a book?   A book, Harry.   During one of the most important matches of my career," Ron shook his head, his anger dissipating.  "It was more than that though.  Hermione and I – we just weren't meant to be together."

Harry nodded.  "I'm sorry, Ron.   I haven't been sleeping well.  I don't have a right to say –"

Ron interrupted Harry, "No, no, you're right.  It's been nearly two years.  I should talk to Hermione," Ron sighed and continued.  "I just don't know what to say to her."

The server came with their meals and both men concentrated on their food for a few minutes, instead of their conversation. 

Harry studied Ron's face as he absently ate a chip.  He knew that Ron had not meant to hurt Hermione and Hermione had not meant to ignore Ron.  He knew a relationship that had seemed so natural, so right in school had just failed in the so-called Real World.  Both Ron and Hermione had grown and changed, but their relationship hadn't.  "Just tell her the truth, Ron," Harry replied finally.  "Just talk to her.  Talk to her like you did when we were at Hogwarts."

"I think I will, Harry.  I will.  What about you, Harry?"

Harry looked befuddled.  "What about me?"

"What about you and Hermione," Ron said, trying to sound nonchalant, but failing.

Harry shrugged.  "We're friends.  Flat mates.  Co-workers."  Harry said it calmly, even as his heartbeat quickened, although he didn't understand why. 

Ron smiled a disbelieving smile, but said, "I'm glad she has you, Harry.  I know you'll never let her down the way I did."

"You didn't let her down, Ron."

Ron smiled sheepishly, "Thanks, Harry.  I have to run.  We have an afternoon practice.  I hope you can make it to the game."

Harry stood as Ron did the same.  They both put galleons down for the bill.  "I'll be there.  I'll pay, Ron."

Ron grinned.  "I'll pay this time.   Bring Hermione to the game.  She can bring all the books that she wants."

Harry chuckled.  "I'll ask her."

"You're a good friend, Harry," Ron said, squeezing Harry's shoulder. "Take care."

"I will," Harry said.  

Ron started toward the door and glanced back at Harry.  "Life is for the living."

"What?"

Ron shrugged.  "Just don't keep waiting for this to be accomplished or for that to be finished.  Live, Harry.  You're the boy who lived after all; don't waste it.

Before Harry could respond, Ron had swept out the door, a gaggle of girls giggling after him, too nervous to ask for his autograph.  Harry, still puzzling over Ron's parting words, watched as his best friend turned and talked to the girls and then signed autographs for all of them, a huge jovial grin on his face the entire time.  Harry smiled crookedly and Disapparated directly from the Three Broomsticks without drawing the attention of any of the other patrons.

~*~

Hermione frowned at the computer screen in front of her.  There was nothing here.  Not one clue.  The Muggles had nothing in common that she could find.  They weren't born in the same cities, they didn't go to the same schools, they didn't have any common relatives, and they didn't even belong to the same political parties.  

Hermione shook her head.  Maybe I'm going about this all wrong, she thought.  Maybe I'm thinking as a Muggle would and not a Witch.  She sighed heavily.  She felt weary.  Alone.  She signed off the computer and headed back to the flat.  The books she had owled for from Hogwarts should have arrived.   There would be something there.  There had to be something there.

~*~

Ginny walked out of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes and sighed when she saw Lucius Malfoy standing across the street.  He waved his cane at her, predatory grin upon his face.

Ginny rolled her eyes, turned away from Mr. Malfoy, and walked briskly down the main street of Hogsmeade.  She knew he was following her, she could feel his presence sauntering merrily behind her.  So, he wanted to play, did he?  I've played with a more malicious wizard than you could ever hope to be, Mr. Malfoy, Ginny thought to herself, pushing the fact that she had almost lost her life in that particular match out her head.  Ginny turned and stepped inside a small coffee house.  It was filled with 6th and 7th year Hogwarts students and a couple of professors.  Ginny sat down at a small table in the back corner and watched Lucius Malfoy, who stood quite out from the other patrons, still manage to glide through the coffee house as if he visited there everyday of his life.  

Lucius sat opposite of Ginny and remarked, "What a delightful establishment.  Is this where you write your dark little poems?" "Are you sure you want to be seen with a Weasley, Mr. Malfoy?  I wouldn't want to disgrace your family name."

Lucius arched a brow at the young witch.  "When the Weasley in question is as beautiful as you, Ginny, I do not mind the possible dishonour of my name."

Ginny frowned slightly and leaned across the table.  "While I appreciate empty flattery as much as the next young woman,  let us get the point, Mr. Malfoy.  You want something from me.  Tell me what it is," Ginny eyed the dark wizard carefully, probing how blunt she should be.   She leaned back, posing casually, as if this were just a discussion of her favourite flavour of Bertie Bott's Beans.  Under the table, she crossed her fingers and said carefully, "I am not unwilling to negotiate.  If you have something I desire." 

Ginny waited with baited breath as Lucius Malfoy toyed with the head of his serpent cane and said nothing for a long moment.  Ginny feared she had struck too quickly and he didn't believe her, but then a slow smile spread across his handsome face.  
  
"Oh, Miss Weasley, I do like you," he drawled, leaning back in his own chair, his posture relaxing noticeably.  "If it were not for your red hair, I'd question the fact that you're a Weasley."

Ginny shrugged slightly, looking down at the floor for a second and then straight into Mr. Malfoy's eyes.  "Tell me why you suddenly find Hogsmeade the place to be."

Lucius nodded.  "Yes, the negotiations.  I want information about the activities of Potter and Granger."

"And in return, I get…."

"Tell me what you desire, Ginny."

Ginny smiled at Mr. Malfoy as she thought how what she most desired was to be standing over his dead body and Tom Riddle's voice out of her head.  Her nightmares gone.  Harry safe.  Voldemort gone forever.  Those were the things that Ginny wanted, but she continued to smile sweetly at Mr. Malfoy as she chose her words carefully.  Tom Riddle had taught her a few lessons.  One of those lessons was that when one lied, it was best to wrap the falsity in the truth.  "I won't do anything that will cause harm to Harry, but I will help you find Draco."

"Ah, now you know of Draco's disappearance?"

Ginny nodded.  "I spoke to Harry last night.  I'm sure he knows where Draco is.  I don't care about your son, Mr. Malfoy.  I'll do what I can so that you can find him.  There is something I want in exchange though."

"Name it."

"Money, Mr. Malfoy. I work as a clerk part-time in my brothers' joke shop and live at home.  I want money."

"And you shall have it," Lucius said, rising from the table.  "When will you next be working alone at your brothers' shop?"

"Saturday afternoon.  They're going to Ron's Quidditch match."

"I'll drop by then, Ginny," Lucius said smoothly, tipping his hat to her.  "Have information for me."

"I will," Ginny said as the waiter placed a cup of espresso in front of her.

The waiter turned to ask Mr. Malfoy if he wanted anything, but the wizard was gone.  The waiter turned to Ginny. "Not your usual type, Gin," he said casually.  

Ginny smiled darkly.  "Unfortunately he is my usual type, but I'm looking to change that. "

~*~

Harry and Draco Apparated into the living room of the flat and both collapsed onto the floor.  Draco, who had been polyjuiced to appear as Neville Longbottom, was a bright blotchy red even as the polyjuice potion wore off and his hair turned silvery blonde again.  Longbottom was an Unspeakable and one of the select few at the Ministry that knew that Draco was an Auror.  

  
Breathing hard, Draco gasped, "I've never been hit with a Burning Hex before.  Damn.  My skin still feels as if it's on fire!"

Harry, who had blood seeping through his robes and a nasty gash on his cheek, sat up.   "This is my third time being hit with the Slashing Hex.  At least we know we're getting closer."  
  
"Wonderful," Draco said as he pulled himself up, peeling off his robes, twitching about and moaning loudly. 

"Cool water will help the burning dissipate faster," Harry said as he undressed, examining his wounds as if he were looking at freckles.  

Hermione came out of her bedroom, running to Harry. "Harry! Not the Slashing Hex again."

"'Fraid so," Harry replied as Hermione pulled out her wand and began to use healing charms on his cuts.

"I was hit with a Burning hex," Draco said, still dancing about as he unbuttoned his shirt.

"Take a cold shower," suggested Hermione, not looking up from Harry's wounds.  

Draco pouted slightly, but realizing that neither Hermione nor Harry was paying him any attention, he sulked off to the shower.  He suddenly missed Crabbe and Goyle.  True, they had never been great conversationalists, but they had been loyal to him.  He even found himself missing Pansy.  Pansy, who spoke of very little other than herself and nothing deeper than the latest gossip, but at least she had always been willing to kiss his every hurt.  "I'm brooding," Draco groaned as he finished disrobing and stepped into the shower.  "I need to stop that.  Brooding is for people who give a damn."

He turned on the cold water and the water cascaded across his burning skin.  The water stung as if each drop was peeling away his flesh. 

~*~ 

Harry and Hermione jumped at the scream that came from the shower.  "Maybe we should have warned him the cold water would sting at first," Harry said as Hermione finished wrapping his healed wounds just to be on the safe side.  

Hermione shrugged.  "Did you find anything?"  
  
"No," Harry said, disappointment evident in his voice.  "But we were interrupted by two cloaked Death Eaters, so we must be on the right track.  Did you find any connections among the missing Muggles?"

Hermione shook her head and slumped back into the futon.  "Nothing," she said wearily.  "I had Madam Pince send me some books from the Restricted Section at Hogwarts.  I hope to find a  locator spell that we could use.  If we find out where they are, it might answer a lot of our other questions."

Harry nodded and leaned back next to Hermione.  "Shall we order in for dinner?"    
  
Hermione nodded.  "I'm going to shower when Draco is finished and then start reading," she said, pointing toward a tall stack of books in front of what had been their TV and was now a large, stone gargoyle thanks to Malfoy.

Malfoy walked stiffly from the bathroom, wearing loose sleep pants and a baggy shirt he had borrowed from Harry.  He opened his mouth to thank them for their oh-so-helpful advice but stopped.  They sat closely, their bodies almost touching; Hermione's head would only have to move a centimetre to be resting on Harry's shoulder.  They looked so comfortable, like a pair of matching bookends.  Draco found the sweet, pathetic nature of it to be nauseating.  So close, yet so far.  It was as if there were a bridge between them, but they both feared the middle of the bridge would crumble if they dared to cross it.

He shook his head, time to throw some salt on this tender moment.  "How was lunch with Ron, Harry?"  Draco asked, sitting in the gold chair across from Hermione and Harry.

Hermione stiffened instantly, glowering at Draco.  She picked up a book and opened it.  Books were her constant security blanket.  Not looking at either man, she asked formally, "Yes, how is Ron?"

Harry shifted uncomfortably, throwing a dark look at Draco.  "It was nice.  He's invited us to the match against Pride of Portree on Saturday."  
  
"Us?" Hermione asked, not looking up from the book.

"Yes, you and I.  I don't think Ron would invite Draco even if he knew he was living with us."

Draco snorted.  "Won't that be cosy? Maybe you can sit with the Weasel's wife, Granger."

"Malfoy!" Harry hissed, bolting off the futon.  

Hermione stood as well.  "Malfoy is right, Harry."

"What?" Harry asked, wrinkling his brow.

Draco smiled contently, enjoying his evening's entertainment. 

"Malfoy is right.  I can sit next to Ron's wife and perhaps we can exchange cooking charms and speak of how Ron's face turns bright red when he's –"  
  
"Stop," Harry interrupted.  

"Angry," Hermione continued primly.  "Won't that be a jolly good time?"

Harry sighed.  "Hermione, I think it's time that you and Ron spoke to each other.  It's been over a year. Ron wants you to come to the match, Hermione.  He asked me to invite you."

Hermione arched a brow and tilted her head.  "Hrumph.  He didn't invite me to his wedding, yet he wants me to come watch him play Quidditch?"

  
Harry sighed heavily.  "Hermione…I'm not saying what Ron did was right, but don't you think it's time the two of you at least talked?"    
  
Hermione stared stonily at Harry.  "No."

Draco put his feet up on the coffee table and decided to stir the pot a bit more. "Hermione, weren't you just telling me last night what a good family the Weasleys are?"  

Harry and Hermione both ignored Draco's jab.  Harry carefully weighed his options and decided to hedge his bets.  "Lucy is pregnant."

Hermione's mouth fell open and she took a step back.  "They're having a baby?"

Draco snorted.  "Probably a litter. That's what Weasleys do – breed young, often and irresponsibly."

Harry threw another dark look at Draco and motioned him out of the room, but Draco didn't budge and Harry turned back to Hermoine.  "Yes, they are.  Hermione, please –"

"I can't, Harry," Hermione said, her voice began shakily, but steadied.   "A baby, a house, a family?" She looked into Harry's deep green eyes and laughed darkly.  "A normal life?  One where men in hooded cloaks aren't hexing you?  A life where we don't have to baby-sit a runaway Death Eater?  A life where you don't wake up in the middle in the night, your scar hurting, knowing Voldemort hunts you.  A normal life. Will either of us ever have that?"

Not waiting for an answer and choking back tears, Hermione quickly gathered up a stack of books and rushed into her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

"Hermione," Harry called following her.  He knocked on the door, but it didn't open.   Soon the soothing sound of jazz came from behind the door, but there was no other response.  Harry considered using _Alohomora_ to open the door, but decided not to risk Hermione's wrath.   He slumped back down on the futon.  

"I think you'll be going to that Quidditch match alone," Draco observed. 

Harry rose, grabbing his shirt and pulling it on, "Go to hell, Malfoy."  
  
"I thought I was already there," Draco replied, rising to search the kitchen for something edible.  

Harry stalked across the flat, put on his cloak, and grabbed his broomstick, "I'm going for a flight."

Draco opened a bottle of wine and poured himself a glass as Harry fled the flat through the balcony door.  "I do hate it when Mum and Dad fight," he said taking a sip.  He took an apple from the fruit bowl, pondering the best solution to the Ginny problem while he ate it.  

By the time he had finished the apple, he had a plan set in his mind.  He changed clothes, put an ear to Hermione's door, but heard nothing but jazz and pages turning steadily.  He surreptitiously entered Harry's bedroom, opening the trunk at the foot of the bed and pulling out a silvery cloak.  Smirking, Draco pulled Harry's invisibility cloak on and Disapparated out of the flat.  

~*~

Narcissa walked into her husband's library to find him sitting by the immense, uneven stone fireplace.  Lucius smirked at his wife as she glided across the room to stand in front of him.

"You look pleased with yourself," she remarked.

Lucius chuckled sardonically.  "The Weasley brat believes she can play me."

"No," Narcissa said, a cold smile gracing her porcelain features.  "Her experience with Tom Riddle must have addled her brain."

"I know," Lucius said, still grinning.  "We shall have our son back by Saturday night."

Two martini glasses appeared on the end table next to Lucius' chair.   Narcissa and Lucius each took a glass and clinked them together.  "To the safe return of our son," Narcissa said.

"Indeed," Lucius said as he drank to his wife's toast.

Narcissa gazed at her husband for a long moment, and then did something she had not done in ages.  She gracefully slid into his lap.  It had been a long time and while his touch was not something she necessarily missed, it was a pleasant diversion at times.  She took another sip of her martini and kissed Lucius, letting her tongue explore his mouth leisurely.  She had forgotten how delicious he tasted, a mix of expensive gin and exotic spices.    
  
Lucius returned the kiss, savouring Narcissa's lean body pressed against his own.  When their lips finally parted, he asked.  "Which of the Weasleys should we destroy first?"

Narcissa finished her drink and placed that glass on the table.  "The redheaded one," she said in an atypical moment of humour.  

Lucius smirked at his wife.  "Indeed, my wife.  We'll start with the youngest and work our way up."

Narcissa slowly combed her fingers through her husband's long blond hair and gave him another lingering kiss.  When the kiss ended, she spoke softly, "It will be delicious, my husband."

  
She disentangled herself from Lucius and arose, noting the disappointment in her husband's eyes she said, "When Draco is in the Manor again, Lucius.  Not before."  

She turned from her husband and gracefully exited the room, pleased and hopeful and amused at her husband's desire for her.

Lucius watched her go.  "You are a cold-hearted creature, aren't you?  Of course, that's your charm."  He raised his glass in toast to his absent wife.

End Chapter 4


	5. Chapter 5

Ginny sat on the ground in the Burrow's garden. It was close to midnight and she was peering into a silver bowl filled with water. Two candles and the moonlight provided the only illumination. She heard footsteps approaching and looked up. "Invisibility cloaks are not much use when you cannot walk quietly, Malfoy."  
  
Draco pulled off the invisibility cloak. "It's these damn yard gnomes. They keep biting at my ankles."  
  
Ginny snorted. "And to think you're an Auror."  
  
"I often find that a bit humorous myself," Draco admitted.  
  
"I'm sure you do," Ginny replied, looking back to her scrying bowl.  
  
"See anything interesting?" Draco asked.  
  
"Hmmm.several things," Ginny said. "Ron's wife is pregnant -"  
  
Draco scoffed. "Of course she is. She married Weasley. Trelawney could See that."  
  
Ginny frowned at Malfoy and continued, "Harry and Hermione are having a spat and you're here to put a memory charm on me because you fear I will tell your father where you are."  
  
"Yes, well, perhaps you were wrong about me being a coward; perhaps I'm here to kill you."  
  
"Um, I don't think so," Ginny said, glancing sideways at Draco.  
  
Draco sat down next to her. "Last night you were convinced I was going to kill Harry."  
  
"True," Ginny said, as she returned her look to the scrying bowl. "But, I hadn't really thought it through. I saw the image," she stopped and sighed. "I saw Harry, lying on the ground, presumably dead and I panicked. I've been trying to See it again, but I haven't been able too."  
  
Draco studied Ginny as she continued to watch the scrying bowl, turning it in small circles as she did so. In the moonlight, her skin was nearly translucent. She reminded him of one of the porcelain figurines his mother collected, very beautiful and very fragile. He wondered briefly if he shook her if she would shatter into hundreds of dangerous jagged pieces -- pieces that would fly through the air and flay him alive. "You should just let it be, Ginny. The future is best discovered as it is lived."  
  
Ginny returned her stare to the scrying bowl. "I have to know, so I can be ready," her voice lowered to a whisper. "So I won't get hurt again."  
  
Draco had already drawn his wand while she was speaking and he pointed it at her now. "Obliviate!"  
  
A few weak sparks sputtered from Draco's wand, but there was no other effect.  
  
Ginny smiled superiorly at Draco. "You're in a containment circle, Draco. If you want to run about a meter that way, you'll be able to do magic again."  
  
Draco sighed. "It's for you own safety, Ginny. You don't know the lengths my father will go -"  
  
Ginny laughed bitterly. "I do know, Draco. I learned when I was eleven years old how little value he places on my life."  
  
Draco stood up and kicked the scrying bowl. A drizzle had started in the night sky and Draco wiped moisture from his face. The candles must have spelled, because they kept burning through the rain. "You don't want to be involved with this, Ginny. I won't allow you to be involved with this."  
  
Ginny's hand connected with Draco's face with a loud smack. "I think since you're the one who walked into my containment circle and are quite without magic, I'll be the one who decides what I am allowed and what I am not allowed. I despise your father. I will be the one who destroys him."  
  
The drizzle was continuing steadily and Draco was vaguely aware that his cheek was stinging. He pushed his hair out of his face and smiled coolly at Ginny. "It appears we do have something in common then, Virginia Weasley. I hate my father as well."  
  
Ginny looked at Draco; she had not noticed the rain until she saw the droplets streaming down Draco's high cheekbones. His face was pointed and thin -- sharp and dangerous. Ginny thought he looked more like his father with every passing year. For a moment she wondered if Draco hated looking in the mirror and seeing his father looking back at him, but she decided this being Draco nothing would discourage him from looking at himself in a mirror. "But you don't have the courage to challenge him."  
  
"And you do?"  
  
Ginny smiled sweetly, her wet red locks clinging to her face. "Yes. Last night I tasted his blood and I thirst to see it all spilled from his veins."  
  
Draco stepped closer to Ginny, even as a voice in his mind told him to move back. "You're mad," he stated without judgment.  
  
Ginny shrugged. "Possibly. I'm not sure anymore. I've listened to Tom Riddle whispering in my mind for so long all I see is pain and death."  
  
"That could just be Trelawney's teaching."  
  
"I will see him finished, Draco."  
  
"No."  
  
"Yes."  
  
Draco leaned in, his face so close she could feel his warm breath across her skin. "You will fail. The Dark Mark will be in the sky over the Burrow and if the Dark Lord is feeling generous, he may leave a few pieces of you for your parents to bury."  
  
Tears rolled down Ginny's cheeks, hidden by the rain, but Ginny could feel their warmth in contrast to the cold rain and she closed her eyes, pushing the tears back. "I have to try," she said hoarsely, her eyes still tightly closed, her hands in tightly furrowed fists.  
  
Possibilities spun through Draco's head quicker than the golden snitch itself flew. She was quite impossible. "Ginny," he said in a weary voice. "I'm cold and I'm wet. Let's discuss this somewhere else."  
  
Ginny opened her eyes and looked up into Malfoy's grey, emotionless orbs. "I'm not a fool. You just want me to walk you out of the containment field so you can put a memory charm on me."  
  
" I think the evidence speaks to the contrary and you are quite the fool, Virginia Weasley."  
  
Ginny stamped her foot, but it only sunk into the soft earth. "I hate you, Draco Malfoy."  
  
"Oh, you'll have to do better than that. I hear that all the time."  
  
Ginny raised her arm to slap him across the face, but he caught her arm and twisted it behind her back. "I let you hit me once without retribution, but that is all I will allow. You're going to lead me out of your little circle and then I will Disapparate the hell out of this dismal place. After placing a memory charm on you, of course."  
  
Ginny looked through the rain and into his stormy eyes and tilted her head forward. She could reach her wand with her other hand, but Draco might still overpower her before she could get a spell out. She decided to show her hand. "You're too late," she said, unable to keep a satisfied smirk off her face. "I've already arranged a meeting with your father. I told him I had spoken to Harry about you. If you memory charm me, he'll have a good idea where to start looking."  
  
Draco tightened his grip on Ginny's arm involuntarily and shook his head. "You dim-witted girl.What if Harry doesn't make it in time to save you this time?"  
  
Ginny stuck her chin out defiantly. "I'll save myself."  
  
Draco let go of her arm, "I'm not sure if you're brave or insane.but then what is bravery but insanity with a heroic front? When they're putting your body in the ground it doesn't matter."  
  
Ginny shook out her arm. "Bravery is something you'll never understand."  
  
"I certainly hope you're right."  
  
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Just too cool to care?"  
  
"Yes, that's it."  
  
Ginny shrugged. "It works for you, I suppose. Some Auror you are, though. Walking right into a containment circle."  
  
"I must have missed that day in Defence Against the Dark Arts."  
  
They stood awkwardly in the garden, the rain still spitting down on them. Ginny shivered, and then pointed in the direction of a large willow tree. "Walk past the tree, you can Disapparate from there."  
  
" What is your plan?" Draco asked, ignoring the direction she had just given him.  
  
"Why in the world would I tell you?"  
  
"If you don't, I'll tell Harry your plans."  
  
Ginny frowned. "I'm not going to attempt to kill your father at the meeting. I'm not that insane, foolish, or brave. I'm just going to lie to him a bit and string him along."  
  
Draco chuckled darkly. "My father will know you're lying. He can always tell; I know. If you insist on meeting him, don't lie to him. Just evade the truth. When is this meeting to occur?"  
  
"Tell you so you can tell Harry?"  
  
"Whatever," Draco said dismissively. The solution has just flitted into his mind of how to make this all part of his plan. "What is your favourite colour?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Your favourite colour. So I know what colour flowers to send to your funeral."  
  
Ginny's mouth fell open and she stared at Draco, completely at a lost for words.  
  
"Fine, I wasn't really planning on sending flowers anyway," Draco said as he turned away from Ginny and walked toward the willow tree.  
  
Ginny watched him disappear into the wet night. "He is a complete bastard," she muttered, yet for some reason she had the strangest urge to run after him. She shook her head at herself. Curiosity, she told herself. That's all it was. But would he tell Harry? As Ginny pondered this possibility, she started gathering up her scrying supplies. "What do I care?" she muttered to herself, thinking she could handle Harry if it came to that.  
  
"Too cool to care?"  
  
Ginny jumped, sending everything in her arms flying as she turned toward the drawling voice.  
  
"Did I startle you?" Draco asked with a smirk.  
  
"Draco Malfoy!" Ginny huffed. "Why the bloody hell aren't you back in London?"  
  
"I need one thing before I go," Draco said, moving closer to Ginny.  
  
"What?" Ginny asked suspiciously.  
  
Draco didn't answer, but grasped Ginny's neck and bent his face towards her, his lips barely brushing hers as he whispered, "A kiss before dying."  
  
Before Ginny could even react to the kiss, Malfoy had turned and swept away, disappearing into the fog.  
  
"I hope it's you who dies," Ginny called after him, but her voice had little venom in it.  
  
She stared after him for a long time, not noticing the continuing rain nor that she was shivering in the cold. She was wondering if she would ever feel his lips on hers again and if she did, would she return the kiss or slap him? She finally gathered up her things again and returned to the Burrow. Shortly thereafter, she sunk into her soft featherbed and snuggled under the blankets and decided that the answer was actually quite simple - she'd both return the kiss and slap him. She just wasn't sure if she'd kiss him first or slap him first.  
  
~*~  
  
Harry flew through the night sky across the English countryside. He loved flying. He never felt quite as free as when he was swooping through the air on his broomstick. He dived straight down and pulled up at the last minute and then did a wide circle, buzzing a small cottage surrounded by wildflowers and a white picket fence. It was, Harry thought, even in only the moonlight almost too perfect of image. Harry landed in the front yard, narrowly missing a small pond. He walked up to the door and hesitated. It was the middle of the night, he shouldn't be bothering Ron. Of course, the thought of going back to the flat and listening to Hermione's stifled sobs and Draco's sarcastic commentary wasn't appealing either. Still, he had no right to intrude on Ron in the middle of the night.  
  
Harry turned and started to walk away when he heard Ron's voice from the front door. "Just came by to excite the cats by brushing against the shutters? They thought you were a juicy bird."  
  
Harry turned back to the cottage and grinned lopsidedly. "I'm sorry, Ron. I hope I didn't scare you or Lucy."  
  
Ron shook his head in the negative. "Nah, come on in," he gestured, holding the door open for Harry.  
  
Harry padded in after Ron, feeling rather sheepish. Lucy stood in the living room. She was wearing a pink robe and her strawberry blonde hair was loose and tousled. There were several cats in the room. Two small black kittens were sleeping next to the fireplace and another black cat brushed up against Harry's legs, meowing plaintively.  
  
"Hi, Harry," she said as if it wasn't the middle of the night. "Would you like tea? Some cakes?"  
  
"No, no, I'm sorry to have disturbed you so late," Harry said in an apologetic tone.  
  
Lucy waved her hand dismissively. "No worries, Harry. You're always welcome."  
  
The three of them stood in awkward silence for a minute. Ron gave Lucy a subtle look, darting his eyes toward the stairs leading to the upstairs and she nodded at her husband.  
  
"I'll get back to bed then," she said. "If you need anything - "  
  
"We'll get it ourselves and let you sleep, love," Ron said good-naturedly to his wife, kissing her cheek.  
  
She laughed and made a goofy face at Ron, gave a quick wave to Harry and scooted out of the room, Ron smacking her bottom on her way out.  
  
Ron sat on the chintz sofa and Harry sat down in an over-stuffed chair across from him. "Insomnia?" Ron asked.  
  
Harry nodded. "Hermione and I had a row."  
  
"Ah," Ron said, leaning back on the sofa. "Let me guess, you got the Jazz treatment?"  
  
Harry chuckled grimly. "Yes, I did."  
  
"Was it about coming to the match?"  
  
Harry sighed. "Yes, I don't understand why she's so upset."  
  
Ron laughed heartily. "Really?"  
  
"Well, maybe I do, but she won't even listen to me. She just stormed out of the room."  
  
"She's a woman."  
  
Harry leaned forward. "None of them listen?"  
  
Ron grinned. "When you're saying something they want to hear, yeah, but otherwise, forget it."  
  
"I don't know what to do," Harry admitted. "I just want the two of you to be friends again."  
  
Ron tilted his head and studied Harry quietly for a minute. "Is that all you want Harry?"  
  
Harry suddenly found his shoes very interesting. He untied and retied them several times before finally answering Ron, "I don't know, Ron. I don't know if I can make Hermione happy."  
  
"All you can do is tell her how you feel about her."  
  
Harry nodded, looking befuddled.  
  
"How do you feel about her?"  
  
Harry shrugged. "I'm not sure."  
  
"She's mad in love with you, Harry. She has been for a long time."  
  
Harry's mouth fell open. "I don't think so, Ron. I mean, never, while you were dating, she's never told me. I didn't know -"  
  
Ron held up his hand. "It's okay, Harry. She never told me that she loved you, but I could sense it. The way she looked at you," Ron exhaled deeply and continued, "She always had time for you."  
  
"I'm sorry, Ron," Harry said, shaking his head. "I didn't know."  
  
"I know, Harry," Ron said. "At the time it bothered me, but I love Lucy. And I'm glad I found her. I feel lucky that I found her. Don't worry about Hermione and I being friends. We'll sort it all out eventually, we always do. But I think that the two of you have something special together and I don't want to be the reason you two never get together."  
  
Harry nodded, deep in thought. He knew that things were not that simple between himself and Hermione and they never would be. Not as long as Voldemort was alive. Hermione was right, there couldn't be a happily ever after until Voldemort was gone. Harry shook himself from his thoughts and stood up. "I better get back. Thanks for listening, Ron."  
  
Ron stood as well and walked to the door to open it for Harry. "Remember what I told you, Harry. Life is for the living."  
  
Harry smiled. "I'll remember. I'm sorry about intruding so late. Tell Lucy I'm sorry too."  
  
Ron nodded at his friend and stood at the door as Harry mounted his broom and took off like an arrow slicing through the air straight up into the sky. Ron stood for a long while, staring into the rainy night, wondering if Harry would ever tell Hermione how he felt. Ron was not sorry that he had met Lucy, but he was sorry at the way he had bungled everything with Hermione. He wondered if she would ever forgive him. 


	6. Chapter 6

Draco entered the flat from the balcony.   He took off the soaking wet invisibility cloak, then his normal cloak and tossed them both over a chair.  As he walked away to find some parchment he could hear the water  dripping from them onto the hardwood floor and was glad he was not going to be around in the morning to hear Hermione complain about that. 

Draco sat down at the table after locating ink, a quill and parchment and scratched out a letter to Bones.  He rolled it, sealed it and then got up and walked into Harry's room.  He approached Hedwig carefully, as the last time he had gone near her, she'd not been pleased.     
  
"I need you to deliver a letter," Draco said slowly to the owl. 

  
Hedwig hooted disapprovingly and tried to peck Draco's hand with her beak.  

Draco pulled his hand away in time and said, "If you deliver this letter, I'll leave and I won't be living her anymore."  
  
Hedwig seemed to understand Draco's words and allowed him to attach the letter to her leg.   She flew out the window just as Draco heard Harry return.

Harry walked into his bedroom.   "You can not sleep in my bed," Harry said blankly as he leaned his broomstick against the wall.  "Where's Hedwig?"

"I borrowed her to send an owl to Bones."

"Why?  What have you done?  Did you leave the flat?  If you did anything to Ginny Weasley –" Harry moved in front of Draco, his tone accusatory.

Draco rolled his eyes dramatically.  "Ginny Weasley is a fool of a girl.  I'm trying to save her life."

Harry eyed Draco suspiciously.  "Why does her life need saving?"

"Well, ignoring the fact that's she a Weasley and therefore –"  
  
"Draco!  I am not in the mood for your sarcasm tonight.  Just tell me what is going on."

Draco pouted slightly, but continued, "She's trying to play my father.  Only I very seriously doubt he's in the least bit fooled."

Harry sighed heavily and began to rub his temples.  He sunk slowly down on the bed.  "Why, Ginny, why?"

"Can I explain now about the fact she's a Weasley and they really can not be expected –"  Draco stopped when Harry shot him a dangerous glare. 

"Okay, let's formulate a plan," Harry said, standing, coming to life again. He went to the wall and knocked on it.  "Hermione, come over, it's work related."

"I already have a plan," Draco said.  "Wow, that was fast," he added quickly as Hermione rushed into the room.  "I bet she wouldn't have come that fast if you had called her for sex."

Harry shot Draco another glare, but Draco only shrugged. 

"What's going on?" Hermione asked, still pulling on her robe.  Her eyes were red and puffy and her hair was a mess.

"Apparently Ginny Weasley is trying to play Lucius Malfoy," Harry told Hermione.

"Play him for what?" Hermione asked.

"I'm not sure myself," Draco said.  "She wants revenge, but I don't believe she's thought it through well enough to have an actual plan in place.  I imagine she just wants him to think she's willing to give him information, so he'll trust her and eventually the situation will present itself for her to take her final revenge."

"Her final revenge?" Hermione asked Draco sceptically.  "Are you telling me that Ginny Weasley wants to kill Lucius Malfoy?"

"Yes.  And I hardly think that puts her in a group by herself, but some of us are just more sane and patient about it," Draco said in a voice that sent chills up Hermione's spine. 

Hermione turned away from Draco and looked at Harry.  "Ginny wouldn't do anything like that, Harry.  You know that."

Harry looked over Hermione's shoulder at Draco.  "What makes you think Ginny is trying to play your father?"

"I talked to her tonight.  I went to the Burrow to put a memory charm on her," Draco held up his hand at Hermione as she spun around to face him again, ready to flay him alive.  "I didn't put the memory charm on her.   She told me she already has a meeting set with my father.  I would assume she's supposed to give him information about my location."

"I can't believe you were going to put a memory charm on her!  When Bones finds out about this, Draco Malfoy, you're going to be –" Hermione shouted at Draco.

"Okay, Hermione, we can talk about that later, right now what matters is Ginny," Harry interrupted.

Hermione quieted, but she continued to glare angrily at Draco.  

"I've already taken care of everything," Draco answered.  He looked Hermione in the eyes. "I sent an owl to Bones resigning as an Auror already."  
  
Hermione's mouth fell open.  "You did?" she asked in a disbelieving voice.  

Draco nodded.  "I'm going home."  
  
 "What?" Harry asked.

Draco sighed and answered Harry as if he was speaking to a three year old.  "If I return home, my father will have no need to contact Ginny Weasley."

"He might anyway," Harry said quietly.

"That's where you come in.  You can talk sense into Ginny Weasley.   And I'll be able to better know what my father is up to.   If I see or hear anything that leads me to believe Ginny is in danger, I'll let you know."

"You don't have to resign.  You don't have to go home.  Hermione and I will talk to Ginny.  She'll listen to us –"  
  
Draco shook his head at Harry.  "No, Harry.  I'm going home.  I have to.  I'll never be free otherwise."

"How will you be free in Malfoy Manor, Draco?" Harry countered.  "Will you become a Death Eater?  How is that freedom?"  
  


"Let me worry about that, Harry."

"No," Harry exclaimed.  "You're not leaving tonight.  We'll talk to Bones about it in the morning and then –"  
  
"Stop it, Harry!" Hermione interrupted forcefully.  

"What?" Harry asked, a clearly befuddled expression on his face as he turned to Hermione.

"Don't you dare spend one second worried about _him_," she spat out, waving a hand in Draco's direction.  "This has all only been a game to him.  He never wanted to be an Auror or to stop Voldemort.  He's just a bored rich boy and we've been his amusement for the last month!"

"Hermione!"  Harry said in a reproachful tone.  "How can you say that?  I've been out in the field with Draco.  It has not been all fun and games.  He's worked hard.  Who knows what the Death Eaters will do to him when they find him." 

  
 "Welcome him home since they're his bloody parents, I'd imagine!"  

"You are a cold bitch," Draco said flatly to Hermione.

  
She spun around and slapped Draco across the cheek. 

"Hermione!" Harry yelled, moving to grab her arm.

Draco only smiled serenely at the irate witch.   "I did not say that was a bad thing. I happen to admire that about you, Granger."  He rubbed his cheek.  "I have never been slapped so many times in one night without at least one sexual act being involved." 

"Okay," Harry said in his most reasonable tone.  "Let's just all go to bed," noticing  Draco's arched brow, he added, "separately and talk about this in the office tomorrow…later today." 

"No, I'm leaving tonight."

Harry sighed.  "Draco –"  
  
Draco held up his hand to silence Harry and turned to Hermione.  "May we have a moment alone? Then, I promise, I'll leave and you can go back to your frigid lifestyle in peace."

Hermione huffed at Draco, but turned to Harry and said, "I'll be in my room, Harry.  After he's gone, I want to talk to you." With that said, she turned and walked out of the room.  

Draco closed the door after her.  "Harry, you have to let me do this," he said earnestly.  "If I'm on the inside, I'll be able to tell you where Voldemort is.  We can plan an attack.  Bones will agree with me.  I can contact you through the mirror we use when we're working.  It's untraceable."

Harry nodded at Draco.  "We can talk about it with Bones tomorrow.   You don't need to leave tonight."

"Yes, I do need to leave tonight.  I can't just show up at home -– I'm going to send my father an owl asking him to meet me.  Today is Thursday.   My father is supposed to meet Ginny on Saturday, that doesn't leave us a lot of time to play with.  If Bones wants to take my returning home through the proper channels, you'll be attending Ginny's funeral before we ever have clearance for me to pack one pair of shoes.  Since when did you start playing by the rules, Potter?"

Harry sighed heavily.  "I have a bad feeling about this, Draco."

Draco put his hand on Harry's shoulder.  "Just promise you'll come when I call you." 

Harry nodded.  "I will."  
  
Draco smiled.  "I think Hermione is going to miss me.   I hope she can deal with my absence without too many tears."

Harry shook his head and chuckled.  "She's…she's very strong-minded, Hermione is."  
  


"Yes, she's a clever witch.  The two of you should…"  
  


"What?"

"You already know, Harry," Draco said with a small grin.  He gazed at Harry for a long moment and then leaned forward and softly kissed Harry's scar.  "I'll be in touch," he said and then turned and swept out of the room.  

Harry stood silently and absently stroked his forehead.   After a minute, he followed Draco out of the room and saw him Disapparate from the balcony.   Harry went to Hermione's door and knocked.  

"Come in."

  
Harry opened the door.  "He's gone, Hermione.  I think you're wrong about Malfoy.  He's risked his life over the last month just as much as we have."  
  


Hermione, who was sitting cross-legged on the side of her bed, patted the space beside her and Harry came and sat down next to her.  "I hope you're right, Harry," she said quietly.  "I don't want to talk about Malfoy though," she paused for a moment, fidgeting with the buttons on her flannel pyjama top.  "I was thinking while you were gone…about what I said earlier and…I'm sorry, Harry.  I'm frustrated about the case and Malfoy just annoys me so much.  I know I shouldn't have let him get to me that way.   And, well, Harry, I'm…I'm just sorry I yelled at you."

Hermione looked down at her hands and chewed on her bottom lip as Harry shook his head.  "You don't have to apologise, Hermione," Harry said, his hand reaching up to brush her hair out of her face. 

Hermione looked up at Harry.  "And I was also thinking that I'd like to go to Ron's Quidditch game on Saturday, Harry.   Because, I've been acting like a child and…" Hermione's voice cracked a bit and she took a deep breath, struggling to hold back tears.  "And I'm happy for him.  I really am."

Tears began streaming down Hermione's cheeks and small sobs wracked her body as Harry wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.  She sobbed into his chest for a few minutes before gaining control over her tears enough to start speaking between the sobs.  "I feel so guilty…I didn't treat him well…I just stopped…I didn't know what to say to him…I wanted to tell him, but…it was so hard…because I knew it wasn't working, but I didn't know how to end it and I knew, Harry. I knew."

"What did you know?" Harry asked gently, caressing Hermione's back and rocking her gently in his arms.

Hermione sniffed loudly and lifted her head to look into Harry's eyes.  "I knew I loved you, Harry.  I am so in love with you, Harry.  So in love…"

Harry's eyes widened and his mouth opened and closed several times as he tried to form a coherent thought.  "I, uh…"

"I'm sorry, Harry!" Hermione wailed as she was overtaken by tears again and she buried her face in his chest again. 

Harry patted Hermione's back.  "Shhh...I'm sorry, Hermione.  I'm sorry."  
  
Hermione sniffed back her tears and lifted her face.  "Why are you sorry?" 

  
Harry combed his fingers through Hermione's hair and took a deep breath. "Because I love you too, Hermione and I'm such a bloody coward, I never said anything.  I was scared that you didn't love me…I was scared that you might love me and then what would happen?  I was scared that loving you would put you at risk.  I was scared…."  
  
"That you might lose me as a friend?"  
  
Harry nodded.  "Yes."

Hermione laughed through tears.  "We're both such bloody fools, aren't we?"

"Are we?" Harry asked.  "What if we –"  
  
Hermione shook her head.  "No, Harry.  No what-if's or maybe's or taking back what has been spoken.  I realized something tonight while I was sobbing into my pillow.  I realized if we're too scared to live our lives the way we want...if we put everything on hold…then Voldemort has already won and we might as well stand outside the Ministry of Magic holding a white flag.  I love you, Harry Potter."

Harry grinned.  "And I love you, Hermione Granger, and I won't ever let anyone take that away from us."

"Then it's a date?"

"What's a date?"  Harry asked, a befuddled expression on his face.  

  
"The Quidditch game on Saturday?"  

"Yes, it's a date," Harry said with a grin.  He leaned toward Hermione, tilting his head slightly and brushed his lips against hers.  

Hermione returned the kiss which gradually grew in intensity until Harry pulled back.  

  
"I guess we should go to sleep.  Tomorrow is going to be a long day -- explaining to Bones how and why we let Draco walk away."

Hermione nodded.  "Yes, you're right.  Um, you could stay here, if you wanted," Hermione said, sounding slightly nervous.  "I mean, just sleep here. Nothing else."

Harry chuckled.  "Yes, I suppose we should probably have a date first."

"I'd like it if you'd just stay with me," Hermione said.

Harry nodded and began undressing as Hermione turned off the lights.  Crookshanks came and brushed against Harry's legs.  Hermione crawled under the covers.

When Harry has undressed to his boxers, he slid into bed next to Hermione and took her into his arms and kissed her again.  "This feels so right, Hermione."

"It does," Hermione agreed as she snuggled next to Harry, her hand caressing his chest. 

  
They kissed again and Harry's hand slid over Hermione's curves.   The kissing became more fervent and Harry found himself unbuttoning Hermione's pyjama top.   When her top fell open, Harry hesitated.  "Do you want to stop?" he asked.

  
"No," Hermione answered without hesitation, taking Harry's hand and guiding it up her body to her bare breasts.  

Harry moaned.  "We haven't had a date yet…"

"We've had plenty of dates, Harry, we just didn't call them dates," Hermione answered, her hands exploring Harry's chest.

"That works for me," Harry answered.

Hermione grinned as she pulled Harry toward her and their lips met again.

~*~

Draco stood at the edge of the Forbidden Forest and pulled out a tin from his inner robe pocket.  He opened the tin and took out a clove cigarette, he twirled it for a moment with his fingers, by the time he slid it into his a mouth a minute later, then end was freely burning.  He inhaled deeply and exhaled a puff of smoke along with a satisfied moan.  

"That's a nasty habit, Mr. Malfoy."

Draco smiled as he continued to puff on the cigarette.  He turned toward the cloaked figure standing in the shadows.  "One of my many vices.  I picked up this one from a Muggle girl.  Oxford student studying…I can't remember what she was studying, but she had quite a talented mouth."

"I do hope you didn't call me to this meeting to discuss your romantic conquests," was the caustic reply.  

"I know such things don't interest you, Professor Snape.  I've had to accelerate our plans.  I'm going to return to Malfoy Manor tomorrow." 

"You can't do that.  It's too early."

Draco didn't answer immediately; instead he continued to enjoy his cigarette as Professor Snape simmered.  Finally Draco drawled, "I have to.  Ginny Weasley is apparently a bit of a Seer.  She found out I was staying with Potter and Granger and that I was working for the Ministry of Magic.  My father nosed around her and she apparently became nearly orgasmic at the thought of being able to destroy him.  She's out of her league and he'll get the information out of her."

"Can she not be taken care of?" 

Draco shrugged.  "I was going to put a memory charm on her, but since she's already talked to my Father and arranged another meeting with him it's too late.  If you mean why didn't I kill her -- I do think that would be a bit suspicious and I'm risking enough already."

 Snape considered this information for a moment.  "Why not let your father get the information out of her?   It's not what we had planned, but the result would be the same.  You would go back to Malfoy Manor and be taken back into the fold.  And your father would take care of Ginny Weasley for us."

Draco shook his head, tapping his cigarette ashes onto the forest ground.  "No, it's better for me to return myself to the fold.  If my father thinks I only came back because he found me, his trust will be harder to come by.  He must believe that I've decided of my own free will to become a Death Eater."  
  
"True," Snape said.  "But will Ginny Weasley be a problem after you've returned to Malfoy Manor?  How do you know she is a Seer?  Do you know what she saw?"

"She saw me standing over Harry Potter's body.  His presumably very dead body."  
  


Snape smiled evilly.  "What a very nice vision."

Draco chuckled darkly. "Perhaps so, but Harry's death is not part of our deal."

Snape shrugged. "I don't plan on killing him, Draco, but if he should happen to die in the battle with the Dark Lord, then he has done what he was born to do, has he not?  The death of one wizard in trade for the death of the Dark Lord is a small price to pay.  Once the Dark Lord is gone, we'll be free."

"I'll only be free if my father is dead too."

"You can easily make that happen in the cross-fire.  Does Harry Potter trust you enough now to come when you call him?"

Draco nodded and smirked.  "Yes, he'll come to save me from initiation into the Death Eaters.  By the way, that burning hex you threw at me was quite painful."

  
Snape arched a brow.  "Sorry, Draco.  I had to make it believable, didn't I?  Are the disappearances keeping Granger occupied as we had planned?"

Draco snapped open his tin of cigarettes and pulled out another cigarette. He lit it magically on its way to his mouth and didn't pull out the stub of his first cigarette until he had inhaled from the new one.  He dropped the cigarette butt on the ground and stepped on it with his heel to make sure it was out.  "Yes, she's at a loss about them.  We don't have to worry about her, she's extremely distracted trying to find a connection between the missing Muggles," Draco laughed.  "Which, of course, she'll never find, since we just pulled random names out of a cauldron."

"Good.  Go ahead with the plan then."

Draco nodded and Snape turned and swept away, heading back to Hogwarts castle.  Draco took off in the other direction, heading off the school grounds.  He gave an involuntary shiver as he passed through the edge of the Forbidden Forest.   He inhaled from his cigarette and exhaled slowly.  _There were so many game pieces in play…would he be able to line them up for the final move?_  Draco shook his head and inhaled and exhaled again.  _And, he asked himself, __will I be able to sacrifice the pieces I need to for the final victory?_

End Chapter 6


End file.
